China lashes out at US-Philippines joint military exercises in South China Sea

U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade with Philippine marine troops in joint drills s at a Philippine Naval base San Antonio, Zambales October 9, 2015.Reuters

According to Chinese official media, missiles unleashed during a joint U.S.-Philippines military drill on Thursday have once again stirred up tensions in the South China Sea.

Washington must be reminded of one simple fact: neither muscle-flexing nor arbitrary intervention will shake China's resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights, a commentary appeared in Xinhua said.

The United States said on Thursday that it was going to ramp-up its military presence in the Philippines and will conduct 'regular' joint military exercises in the South China Sea.

The US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on 14 April that a contingent of US military aircraft and 200 US airmen from US Pacific Air Forces would be at Clark Air Base, a former US Air Force base, through the end of the month.

"By increasing its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States is wading deeper and deeper into a regional row, on which it has promised to stay neutral," the Xinhua commentary published on Thursday showed.

"Taking a lopsided approach favoring China's rival claimants, the world's sole superpower has clearly gone back on its words."

"Provocations, maneuvers, attempts to involve outsiders, or showing off a military alliance with Washington won't alter the historical fact of China's sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and adjacent waters."